Ubisoft is finally doing it. After years of fans begging for a mainline entry set in feudal Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is arriving, but it isn't just the setting that’s causing a stir. It’s the philosophy. For decades, this franchise has basically been a high-budget simulator for "stabbing people who probably deserve it." You find the target, you parkour over a wall, and you sink a hidden blade into their neck. Job done. History moved forward. But with the dual-protagonist system of Naoe and Yasuke, the developers are leaning into a concept that feels radical for a series literally named after professional killers: killing them isn’t justice.
It’s a heavy pivot. Honestly, if you look back at the Ezio trilogy or even the more recent RPG-style games like Valhalla, the "justice" was always found in the kill. The death of the villain was the period at the end of the sentence. In Shadows, the team at Ubisoft Québec seems to be arguing that the blade is the loudest, least sophisticated tool in the box.
The Dual Lens of Naoe and Yasuke
The game splits its perspective between Naoe, a shinobi from the province of Iga, and Yasuke, the historical African samurai who served Oda Nobunaga. This isn't just a "choose your character" skin swap. It changes how you interact with the world's morality.
Naoe represents the traditional, albeit refined, stealth fantasy. She’s small. She’s fast. She uses the shadows—literally, the new global illumination system means you can actually extinguish lights to hide. But her story is one of desperation and the survival of her people after the brutal Iga invasion. For her, killing is often a necessity of war, yet the game explores the toll that constant assassination takes on a community.
Then you have Yasuke. He’s a tank. He doesn't hide. He walks through the front door. Because he is a samurai, his concept of justice is tied to bushido and social order. In his gameplay, "justice" might mean a public execution, but it also means upholding a specific code that isn't always about blood. The tension between these two—the shadow and the sun—is where the "killing them isn’t justice" theme really starts to breathe.
Why the Hidden Blade Isn't Always the Answer
We’ve seen this shift coming for a while in gaming. Think about Dishonored or Metal Gear Solid. Those games rewarded you for not killing. Assassin’s Creed has usually rewarded you for being "clean," but a dead body was still the goal.
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In Shadows, the world is more reactive. If you go on a mindless killing spree, the world notices. The NPCs react. The political landscape shifts. Basically, the developers are trying to move away from the idea that a single assassination fixes a systemic problem. If you kill a corrupt official, does the corruption die, or do you just create a vacuum for someone even worse?
The Mechanics of Non-Lethality
For the first time in a long time, the "peace" part of the Assassin’s Creed (the actual creed) feels like it has weight. You can choose to knock people out. You can use non-lethal takedowns. This isn't just a pacifist challenge for YouTubers; it’s a legitimate narrative choice.
- Information Gathering: Sometimes, a live target is worth ten dead ones. You need intel. You need to know who is pulling the strings. If you kill the messenger, you lose the map to the real villain.
- Social Consequences: Japan in the Sengoku period was a place of intense social hierarchy. Killing a high-ranking official without a "just" cause—at least in the eyes of the public—can turn the entire citizenry against you. It makes your job as a shinobi ten times harder.
The Historical Reality of "Justice" in the Sengoku Period
Let's get real for a second. The 16th century in Japan was a bloodbath. Oda Nobunaga, Yasuke’s master, wasn't exactly a pacifist. He was known for the Siege of Mount Hiei, where he burned a monastery and killed thousands.
By framing the game around the idea that killing them isn't justice, Ubisoft is actually engaging with the darker side of Japanese history. They aren't just making a cool ninja game. They are asking: how do you find honor in a time when the "great unifiers" were essentially warlords?
If Yasuke follows Nobunaga blindly, is he an instrument of justice or just a weapon? If Naoe kills every samurai she sees, is she a liberator or just another bringer of chaos? These aren't easy questions. Most games shy away from them because it’s easier to just give the player a dopamine hit for a successful headshot.
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How "Shadows" Handles the "Creed" Part of the Name
The Assassins (or Hidden Ones) have always claimed to "work in the dark to serve the light." But let's be honest: they’ve spent most of the series being high-profile serial killers.
In Shadows, the "light" feels more literal. The game uses a seasonal system. In spring, the grass is long, providing cover. In winter, icicles might fall and give away your position. This environmental realism mirrors the moral realism. You can’t just act in a vacuum. Everything has a ripple effect.
- The Spy Network: You aren't a lone wolf. You build a network of informants. This moves the gameplay away from "point A to point B" murder and toward "dismantling a power structure."
- The Dynamic World: Because the seasons change and NPCs have schedules, your "justice" has to be timed. Maybe the best way to handle a target is to ruin their reputation during a public festival rather than sticking a knife in them in an alleyway.
The E-E-A-T Factor: Is Ubisoft Actually Pulling This Off?
Game critics and historians have been watching this title closely. Specifically, the inclusion of Yasuke has sparked endless (and often exhausting) online debate. But from a narrative design perspective, his inclusion is the strongest argument for the "justice" theme.
As an outsider who rose to a position of immense prestige, Yasuke sees the system from both the bottom and the top. He sees the "justice" of the law and the "justice" of the street. Expert historians like Thomas Lockley, who co-authored African Samurai, have noted that Yasuke’s presence in Nobunaga’s inner circle was a radical break from tradition. Using that character to explore the limits of lethal force is a smart move by the writers.
What This Means for You, the Player
If you’re going into Shadows expecting Odyssey with katanas, you might be surprised. The game is slowing down. It’s becoming more deliberate.
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The mantra that killing them isn't justice suggests a "High Chaos" vs. "Low Chaos" system similar to Dishonored, though Ubisoft hasn't used those exact words. They are calling it a "Refined Stealth" system. It means you have to think. You have to observe. You have to decide if the person in front of you actually needs to die for the mission to succeed.
It’s about agency. For the first time, the game might actually punish you—narratively or mechanically—for being too bloodthirsty.
Moving Toward a More Mature Assassin's Creed
Honestly, the series needed this. The "superhero in a hood" vibe was getting a bit stale. By introducing the idea that death is a failure of diplomacy or stealth, the stakes feel higher.
It makes the kills you do commit feel more significant. When you finally decide that a target is beyond redemption, and you unsheathe that blade, it carries the weight of a choice, not just the completion of a checklist.
Actionable Takeaways for Your Playthrough
To get the most out of this new philosophical shift when the game drops, keep these strategies in mind:
- Prioritize the Spy Network: Spend time early on developing your informants. The more you know about a target, the more non-lethal options (like blackmail or political sabotage) usually become available.
- Toggle the HUD: If you want to feel the weight of your choices, turn off the "enemy glow" and icons. Force yourself to look at the world as a living place, not a series of targets.
- Experiment with Yasuke’s Mercy: Just because Yasuke can crush a skull with a club doesn't mean he has to. See how far you can get using his presence and intimidation rather than just raw violence.
- Watch the Seasons: Don't rush. If a target is too well-guarded in the summer, wait for the snow. Use the environment to create "accidents" that serve justice without leaving your fingerprints on the blade.
The evolution of Assassin’s Creed Shadows into a game about the nuances of justice is a bold move. It moves the series away from being a mere power fantasy and toward being a historical simulation with a soul. Whether it sticks the landing remains to be seen, but the intent is clear: the blade is no longer the only way to change the world.
Next Steps for Players: Keep a close eye on the official gameplay deep dives regarding the "Mercy" mechanics. Understanding how the game tracks your lethality will be key to unlocking the "True" endings that Ubisoft has hinted at in recent developer interviews. Focus on mastering the environmental stealth early—specifically learning how to manipulate light sources—as this will be your primary tool for avoiding unnecessary bloodshed.